Students have metal pencil boxes with their supplies.
For this lesson they need a pen for note taking, a pencil and protractor for drawing a diagram, a ruler for making the margins on their paper, their notebook which sort of resembles a composition book but with a soft cover. Those that need to sharpen pencils are using pocket knives. One has a pencil sharpener that is being shared. The teacher has stepped out several times in 10 minutes time to borrow the needed supplies from other classrooms that don’t have them, and everyone continues to work in his absence. He is also helping to sharpen pencils. He explained that the students’ parents can’t afford the supplies, so they have to make do. I explained how my own students don’t have the supplies because they are careless and don’t keep up with them. I told him that at the end of one day I can easily pick up 15-20 pencils from my classroom floor, and he said that would last the students here a long time.
And they’ve taken up to 2 pages of notes already, and they are not done. It is mostly silent. The only talking really is when they’re borrowing supplies, and if the teacher says no talking, they stop. Immediately. The teacher is writing more on the board. Questions this time.
It is just amazing how disciplined the students are. They just do things automatically. There are schedules everywhere, as well as opportunities to be in charge of certain things such as Head Boy/Girl, Class Prefect, Sanitary Prefect, Food Prefect, Health Prefect, Games & Sports, Time Keeper, etc.
It is so different from American students who do not stop talking and do there work. They will not take one page of notes without complaint, let alone 3 or more. I watch students and teachers leave trash on the floor. I am guilty of it myself. I know I can do a better job at teaching my students better responsibility and to be more caring and helpful.